1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a cable management arm for holding cables and, more particularly, to a cable management arm employing a break-away link and a stabilizing arm, where the cable management arm is used to collect and hold cables coupled to a computer server slidably mounted within a computer rack.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Certain computer systems, such as computer network systems, typically include many separate computer units or servers that are positioned and stacked relative to each other in a rack. The various computer servers in the system are electrically interconnected and provide various functions, such as storage, communications, calculations, etc. The rack includes a plurality of support columns, where each computer server is secured to opposing slide assemblies attached to the columns. The slide assemblies allow the server to be pulled away from the front of the rack so that each separate server can be serviced by technicians for various reasons, such as maintenance, replacement of computer cards, etc., while the server is still in operation. In other words, in order for a technician to gain entrance to the server through top panels in the server, the server is slid forward away from the stack of servers in the rack to allow access thereto, while the server is still operational, so that the computer system does not have to go down during service.
A typical computer server includes a plurality of input and output cables coupled to a back panel of the server, including power cables, data cables, communication lines, keyboard lines etc., and may include up to fourteen separate cables, and possibly more. It is therefore desirable to include some type of cable management device, such as a cable management arm, that allows the various cables to be collected at the back of the computer server and rack for convenience and organization. The cable management arm is typically mounted to the rack and to the server in such a manner that when the computer server is pulled out of the rack on the slide assemblies, the cable management arm unfolds and extends to allow the cables mounted thereto to be maintained in their organized state.
Various cable management arms are known in the art that perform this function. The known arms include a cable management arm made by Jonathan, a cable management arm made by Accuride, cable management arms made by Dell, cable management arms made by Compaq and cable management arms made by IBM. Two cable management arms available from Hewlett-Packard include the LC Series cable management arm and the LH Series cable management arm. The various cable management arms known in the art generally come in two capacities to satisfy computer servers of different heights, and are referred to in the art and herein as 1U and 2U arms.
Known cable management arms generally are devices that include two arm sections that are connected together at a hinged joint. One of the arm sections includes a pivotable bracket that is secured to the housing of the computer server by a suitable bolt or the like, and the other arm section includes a pivotable bracket that is secured to a strategic location on the rack by a bolt or the like. Thus, when the computer server is slid out of the rack on the slide assemblies, the hinged joint allows the cable management arm to extend the desired distance into an extended position. When the server is pushed back into the rack, the two arm sections fold together so that they are substantially parallel with a back panel of the server when the server is completely slid into the rack.
The known cable management arms employ various techniques for securing the cables thereto. For example, some cable management arms employ velcro straps to secure the cables to the two arm sections. However, this type of arrangement presents a problem in that the cables must be bundled together and held with one hand while tightly wrapping the bundle with a velcro strap with the other hand. This process is repeated four to eight times to completely attach the cables to the arm. Adding or removing a cable from the arm requires removing and replacing every velcro strap.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a cable management arm assembly for a computer server is disclosed that includes a break-away link that allows the arm assembly to be pivoted away from the back panel of the computer server while the server is attached to a computer rack by opposing slide assemblies. In addition to the break-away link, the cable management arm assembly includes an inner arm section, an inner arm slide bracket, an outer arm section and an outer arm slide bracket. The inner arm section is pivotably mounted to the inner arm slide bracket at one end, and is pivotably mounted to the break-away link at an opposite end. Likewise, the outer arm section is pivotably mounted to the outer arm slide bracket at one end, and is pivotably mounted to the break-away link at an opposite end. When the computer server is retracted into the rack, the sections fold together in such a manner that the inner arm section and the outer arm section are in contact with each other and are parallel, where the break-away link forms an extension of the outer arm section. The break-away link allows the folded arm assembly to pivot away from the back panel of the server when the server is in the retracted position. This allows greater access to the rear panel of the server.
In a specific embodiment, the cable management arm includes an extension link pivotably mounted between the outer arm section and the outer arm slide bracket to allow the arm assembly to extend a few extra inches for some applications. The cable management arm also may include a stabilizing arm attached to opposing outer slides that help stabilize the arm when it is moved to the break-away position.
Both the inner arm section and the outer arm section include a trough defined by a base plate and two opposing side plates. The opposing side plates of both the inner arm section and the outer arm section include openings to allow airflow around the cables. The cables coupled to a back panel of the server are threaded into the troughs of the inner arm section and outer arm section to be organized therein. In one embodiment, the inner arm slide bracket is mounted to a slidable member of the slide assembly proximate the computer server, and the outer arm slide bracket is mounted to an end of a stationary outer member of the slide assembly at a back of the rack.
Additional objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.